A propulsion system for a magnetically levitated vehicle is described in, for example, from "Magnetbahn TRANSRAPID--Die neue Dimension des Reisens" (TRANSRAPID magnetic railway, the new dimension in travel) Hestra Verlag Darmstadt, 1989, ISBN 3-7771-0208-3, pages 76-79. The propulsion system of a magnetically levitated vehicle fulfills three functions, namely suspension, guidance and driving of the magnetically levitated vehicle on a guideway without contact. The propulsion system for it includes a suspension system, a guidance system and a drive system. The conventional guidance system includes a guidance magnet arrangement with the guidance magnets being arranged laterally so that the magnetic flux runs perpendicular to the longitudinal direction of the lateral guide rails in the vehicle, thereby ensuring lateral guidance of the magnetically levitated vehicle. Pairs of suspension magnets mounted in the lower area of the suspension frame of the magnetically levitated vehicle assume the suspension function. The required induction also provides the energization for the drive, so that the suspension system and the drive system are formed by one and the same magnet arrangement and the functions are mutually interdependent. Core assemblies are provided in the guideway for these suspension and drive magnet arrangements. The core assembly provided for the suspension and drive magnets contains a current-carrying traveling-field winding and forms the stator of a linear synchronous long-stator drive.